Methods of manufacturing embossed resinous products having decorative, textured surfaces have been known for many years.
Mechanical embossing is one of the earlier known techniques for making such embossed resinous products and has been employed for a very long period of time. These mechanical embossing techniques have required the use of suitably engraved or etched plates or rolls which were pressed against and into the resinous products under relatively great pressure to obtain the desired embossed decorative or textured surface. Unfortunately, the engraved or etched plates or rolls are very expensive to manufacture and it has long been desired to obviate the necessity of their use.
Chemical embossing, such as noted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,293,094 and 3,293,108, is a more recent development and has provided embossing techniques which do not require the use of expensive engraved or etched plates or rolls. For this reason, and other reasons which will become clear from a further reading of this specification, the use of chemical embossing techniques has grown tremendously in popularity and use in recent years.
Nevertheless, even the desirable features and advantages of such chemical embossing techniques can always be bettered and improved upon, in order to obtain better products with sharper and more distinct embossed or textured effects, at lesser expense, and with more universal application to a wider range of varied materials.